Loaded Veggie Nachos (with Vegan Taco Meat)

Loaded Veggie Nachos are topped with a spicy vegan taco meat made from a blend of walnuts and mushrooms. They’re hearty and flavourful, with a dose of fibre, protein and healthy fats. Perfect for weekend snacking or even dinner!

This post was originally published in April 2018. It has been updated with new photos and text, including helpful tips for readers. The recipe remains the same. (An original photo is included at the end of this post so be sure to check out the before and after).

Week six of physical distancing, and I feel like a bit of a routine is forming. While the days seem to blend together, we’re trying hard to clearly define the weekends. And part of that is how we spend our Friday and Saturday nights, and doing our usual things like snacks, pizza and movies.

While our pizza game has been strong – hello, healthy homemade pizza – our nacho game has been off. That is, until I broke out this recipe for meatless nachos from the Crumb Top Baking archives, and now our nacho game is on point.

Loaded Veggie Nachos

If you’re anything like my husband, you’re going to be a bit skeptical as I start to describe these nachos. That’s because they aren’t vegetarian in the sense that they’re loaded with lots of lentils, black beans or chick peas (although that would be super delicious too).

No, these nachos are actually loaded with a spicy walnut and mushroom mixture that resembles the taste and texture of ground beef.

Seriously, I was even skeptical when I started making these a few years ago, but I was pleasantly surprised by how delicious and convincing walnuts and mushrooms can be as taco meat. And my husband is now completely sold on it too!

Details on a few ingredients to make meatless nachos

Walnuts: It’s best to use raw walnuts in this recipe – so avoid roasted and salted. I went with walnut halves, but you can also use walnut pieces. If you only have chopped walnuts, I suggest blitzing the mushrooms in your food processor first and then just stirring in the walnuts.

Mushrooms: While the recipe calls for cremini mushrooms, you can also use bella or white mushrooms. Just make sure they are firm and well cleaned. I usually cut the mushrooms in half before adding them to the food processor, but avoid cutting them into smaller pieces as they blitz up faster than the walnuts and the mixture gets mushy.

Veggie toppings: For these nachos, I added red and orange peppers and corn, but you can use other veggies and plant-based toppings such as green peppers, green onions, radishes, tomatoes, jalapeños, black beans or pinto beans.

Tortilla chips: You can use store-bought or homemade tortilla chips. If using store-bought, I usually go for unsalted corn tortilla chips. But you can use whatever kind and brand you like. You can also use homemade tortilla chips such as these air fryer tortilla chips (pssst…..the recipe includes five different flavour options)!

How to make this vegetarian nachos recipe

Making the taco ‘meat’

Pre-heat some oil in a large skillet over medium-heat.

Place your walnuts and mushrooms in a food processor and pulse a few times until the mixture is crumbly.

Add the mixture to your skillet and stir in chopped red onion, chopped jalapeño pepper, lime juice and a mix of salt and spices (detailed in the recipe card). Cook on medium-low until the onions and peppers have softened (about 7-8 minutes).

Assembling and baking the nachos

Arrange your tortilla chips on a baking sheet or in a cast iron skillet, and top with the faux taco meat, veggies and cheese.

Bake on 400F for 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

Serve immediately.

Frequently asked questions

What kind of cheese goes well with nachos? Go for cheeses that melt well. Cheddar and Monterey Jack are common choices, and we also enjoy mozzarella. I actually like to use a mix of cheeses, and while I normally go for light cheese, full fat cheese tends to melt better.

Can these nachos be made vegan? Absolutely! This is easy to do since the taco ‘meat’ is already vegan. Just use vegan cheese shreds in place of the dairy cheese.

Are vegetarian nachos healthier? Not necessarily. It depends on your toppings and chips. While these nachos are topped with plant-based protein, they are still high in calories. If you don’t need these nachos to be vegetarian, lean meats such as ground chicken or turkey are a great choice. I also like to load mine up with extra veggies and limit the amount of cheese. You can also go for no salt added or low sodium chips for a healthier option.

How do you re-heat leftover veggie nachos? Just spread out the leftover nachos on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake on 350F until heated through and crispy.

What to serve with nachos

And you can always get adventurous and add some vegan chili to the top of your nachos before serving.

Recipe tips and substitutions

To avoid mushy taco ‘meat’, try not to cut your mushrooms too small or over-process the walnut/mushroom mixture.

I like to prepare these nachos in a cast iron skillet, and you can do this in two different ways. You can create multiple layers of chips and toppings, which ensures most of the chips are covered in toppings. Or you can bake all the toppings in your skillet, and then use the chips to scoop it out.

You can also make these nachos in a more traditional way by spreading the tortilla chips out on a sheet pan and loading on the toppings.

While I love these nachos with homemade corn tortilla chips, if you want crispier nachos, I suggest using thick cut store-bought tortilla chips that can withstand lots of toppings.

If you make these loaded vegetarian nachos, I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below!

Loaded Veggie Nachos (with Vegan Taco Meat)

Loaded Veggie Nachos are topped with a spicy vegan taco meat made from a blend of walnuts and mushrooms. They’re hearty and flavourful, with a dose of fibre, protein and healthy fats. Perfect for weekend snacking or even dinner!

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 400F and line an oven safe skillet or baking sheet with parchment paper.

Pre-heat the oil in another large skillet over medium heat. (Ensure the oil coats the bottom of the pan).

Add the walnuts and mushrooms to a food processor and pulse a few times until the mixture is crumbly.

Add the walnut/mushroom mixture to the pre-heated skillet and stir in the onion, jalapeño, lime juice, spices and salt.

Cook on medium-low until the onions and peppers have softened (about 7-8 minutes). Stir frequently to ensure the mixture doesn’t burn onto the skillet.

Arrange tortilla chips in the prepared skillet or pan, and top with the taco meat, veggies and cheese (see notes).

Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Serve immediately.

Notes

While the recipe calls for cremini mushrooms, you can also use bella or white mushrooms.

To avoid mushy taco ‘meat’, try not to cut your mushrooms too small or over-process the walnut/mushroom mixture.

I like to prepare these nachos in a cast iron skillet, and you can do this in two different ways. You can create multiple layers of chips and toppings, which ensures most of the chips are covered in toppings. Or you can bake all the toppings in your skillet, and then use the chips to scoop it out.

You can also make these nachos in a more traditional way by spreading the tortilla chips out on a sheet pan and loading on the toppings.

Be sure to check out the FAQ as well as the tips and substitutions section above the recipe for more detailed advice and suggestions for making this recipe.

Reader Interactions

Comments

I have a Cinco de Mayo party every year and am always at my wit’s end trying to come up with something delicious and suitable for my vegetarian friends – this seems like the perfect solution! Thanks for sharing.

Your singing my tune! I have had a nacho craving lately and I love this vegetarian version. I hear you on the cauliflower, I use it a lot to but sometimes need a new alternative. These look wonderful and dare I say better than the original version 🙂 . Take care.

With roasted corn, chipotle and jalapeño peppers etc these nachos must be bursting with flavour and tingling your taste buds. I love your choice of ingredients that you have put in this recipe. I have bookmarked it so will soon be making it and tagging you. thanks so much!

I want this all up in my face… now! I was surprised how much mixed up walnuts and mushrooms resemble ground beef! I’m cutting out carbs for awhile so when I make this recipe, I’ll take out the chips but the other flavors look on fleek lady!!!

Haha! You’re too funny Christina! I’m also 40 but I had to google to find out what “on fleek” meant. You’re probably just hipper than I am! 😉 As for these nachos, I totally get minimizing carbs. I’ve actually been using the veggie taco meat as a salad topping, and it’s quite tasty. It’s worth a try for sure!

Thanks Elaine! Walnuts are definitely versatile. I add them to salads and granola bowls all the time! As for the veggies, I love piling them on my nachos! The mix of flavour and colour gets me every time!

GAH! These look amazing! I’m such a sucker for a good nacho platter and it’s great to have such a hearty vegetarian option. I love love love the use of walnuts! I’ve used them in vegetarian burger patties before and they are some kind of magic. Amazing recipe, Leanne!

Thanks so much Dana! I’m a sucker for nachos too, so the healthier I can make them, the better! I’ve never tried walnuts in burger patties. I’m definitely adding that to the must-try list! Thanks for the idea!

These look delicious Leanne! I must admit I have also been having a little too much cauliflower everything lately and mushrooms seem like the perfect fit! I haven’t had nachos is forever because cheese and me aren’t friends but you have inspired me to do loaded nachos sans cheese! So excited to try it!

Thanks Lizzy! Can’t wait to hear what you think! The mushrooms work really well in the taco meat, and I didn’t add too much cheese, as we’re not always friends either! I love these smothered in guacamole so you could totally get away with no cheese! Have a great week!

Nachos are a regular in our home and we always make them either in a skillet or on a sheet pan. Love the faux meat idea, especially because I am such a huge fan of mushrooms and walnuts. This is something we would definitely enjoy on Friday night with a glass of vino or a cold beer. Its it bad that I want this for breakfast right now 😉 ?? Extra guac for me please!! Happy Friday 🙂

These are definitely a new favourite in our house, especially for Friday nights with a beverage! 😉 As for breakfast, if you throw some eggs on there, I think these are totally appropriate for an early morning meal!

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Meet Leanne

Hey there! I'm Leanne and welcome to Crumb Top Baking. I'm a self-taught baker, home cook and food photographer, and I'm passionate about sharing recipes that help people eat a little healthier and find balance in the recipes they prepare for themselves and their families. Learn more about me and what you'll find on Crumb Top Baking....